Responses: 55

People knit for many different reasons beyond just producing garments and knit items for themselves, family, friends and charity. Whether you knit to calm your mind after a rough day, as an antidote to smoking or evening snacking, or just because you like being productive while watching television, share your thoughts here about why you like to knit.

Why I Knit?

I knit because at my local hospital there are about 30-50 babies born there every day and we get a lot of babies come back in with Shaken Baby Syndrome. In response to this my hospital created a program where we can knit purple hats to help prevent this from happening. It helps because when the baby is wearing it the parents see it and know sometimes babies just cry with no specific reason. So that's why I knit and I'm only 17.

—Guest Mackenzie

Relaxing

I've just got back into Knitting, I have Fibromyalgia and thought it would help me to relax and take my mind off the pain. I can't wait to try out some new patterns and maybe someday knit something more than just a scarf!

—Guest Vicky

To Feel Closer to my Nan

My nan taught me to knit when I was a little girl. She died when I was 15. I am now 21 and recently picked up my needles again. It is great to remain creative, and to know that one day I may be able to use my hobby to make a little bit of money, but mostly, it makes me think of my nan. I like to feel close to her. As it turns out, I am actually pretty good for a relative beginner, and I like to think that it is my nan, keeping an eye on my work.

—Guest Ambercrystal

My friend is THE reason why i knit...

I started knitting about a week ago and can already rib, stockinette, and basketweave! It is so relaxing and that's why I love it!

—Guest Sasha B

Life Long Love of Knitting

I began knitting as a seven year old little girl when my mother was a Girl Scout leader. She was teaching the older girls how to knit and I wanted to learn. Now I'm 75 and I'm still knitting! I used to knit aran sweaters, but now I have arthritis in my hands, so I knit socks, mainly. I give them to my two daughters, one of my sons and many of my friends when their birthdays roll around. I cannot watch TV without knitting. I've taught my ladies church group to knit, too. It's great therapy!

—Guest Diane Ferver

So Many Reasons

Just for Fun

My grandmother taught me to knit 69 years ago. I didn't knit very much when I was young as I was too busy working and raising a family, but now I am retired. I organized a knitting class in a seniors' residence. Now I just love Friday mornings with all my new friends. I knit every night and sell a lot at a bazaar in November. I take orders from people and just have a wonderful time knitting for them. It is a great hobby.

—Guest Shirley Mc

Relaxation and Relief

I knit because it relaxes me, helps take away the nerve pain I have from peripheral neuropathy and simply because I love doing it! Rarely a day goes by without the needles in my hands if only for a short time.

—Guest Sharon

Creativity

I enjoy creating - mixing yarns and colors and just designing as I knit.

—Guest Martha

So Many Reasons To Knit!

I knit because: 1. It lets me watch television without feeling guilty about being idle, 2. It relieves stress, 3. I can see a concrete result and it (usually!) is beautiful. I also knit because I fall in love with so many skeins of yarn. I love the infinite variety of yarns, especially handspun or hand-dyed yarns; the softness of alpaca, merino, llama--plus mohair and angora. For someone who grew up thinking that "yarn" meant a 4 oz. skein of worsted weight wool or orlon, the amazing yarns available now are just intoxicating. It seems almost magical to watch them become "something" on the needles!

—aweinh25

Knitting Therapy

It relieves the pressures of daily life! I learned when I was a child but I didn't picked it up again until 40 years later. It helped me get through a life crisis.

—Guest Cindy

My Reason For Knitting

I learned just for the pleasure of knitting; now, my cousin works in Labor and Delivery at the local hospital and was concerned that the hats given there did not fit the premature babies, so now I knit smaller hats for the premature babies. I also make some a little larger too. I have been knitting for 40+ years and enjoy the "squeals of delight" when giving a handmade gift to a friend.

—Guest Bev

Because I Love Knitting

There are many reasons why I knit. My mother taught me to knit when I was very young, but I didn't knit very much. 15 years later I knit a simple scarf, but it didn't 'stick' that time either!
Then my dear mother, who had taught me so many wonderful crafts, died just before my 21st birthday. Fast forward almost 20 years later and I became ill with Psoriatic arthritis, which began doing a lot of damage to my fingers, and Fibromyalgia. One day my tween daughter asked me to teach her to knit and as I was knitting I noticed that the swelling in my fingers went down and they were more flexible!
Also I was enjoying knitting and it made me feel useful again -- I'd just been granted permanent disability. I love knitting, teaching my daughters to knit and passing down a craft that my mother and grandmother both enjoyed.

—DorcasBe

Because I Can

I knit because I can, I crochet for the same reason. Both arts relax me and give me something to do with my hands with a beautiful result at the end.

—juli1961

Knit Unto Others

My reason for knitting is for the Joy of knowing the people who receive them as gift at Christmas. The babies, the homeless and those that are ill. It warms my Heart knowing that what I knit will be used my those who are in need.